Mainz have lifted the ban imposed Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi following his controversial post on Israel’s war against Palestine.
Anwar El Ghazi, 28, was banned from training and matches on 17 October after a now-deleted post on social media which was perceived to be pro-Palestinian.
But Mainz say they have now “opened the door for him to resume his duties”.
“Given his commitment to upholding the club’s values and the remorse shown, and in keeping with the club’s culture of using mistakes as an opportunity to learn, Anwar El Ghazi will return to training and matchday-related activities with 1. FSV Mainz 05 soon,” said the Bundesliga club.
Anwar El Ghazi
Anwar El Ghazi is a Dutch professional footballer who is currently a free agent. He last played for Bundesliga club Mainz 05. He plays as a winger or a forward.
El Ghazi joined Mainz on a free transfer in September 2023, but was suspended by the club on October 17, 2023 for sharing a pro-Palestinian post on Instagram. The post contained the statement “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
El Ghazi was later given a “warning” by Mainz and allowed to return to training. However, on October 27, 2023, Mainz informed El Ghazi that they intended to terminate his contract due to his social media post.
He was linked with a move away from the club following the clampdown but will now have an option of continuing his career as the ban has been lifted.
El Ghazi is a talented footballer, but his social media post has caused a lot of controversy. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to recover from this setback and resume his career.
